Demon Slayer
by Bishie Huntress
Summary: Sasuke, a skilled demon slayer, has been tracking a mischievous kitsune for years. Imagine his surprise when the trickster stops to talk!


**an:** Yay! A new fic! I was chatting with friend and fellow author, KillerUchiha, when he decided to share some fan art of Sasuke and Naruto. Naruto had this fluffy tail that was so cute! It immediately brought to mind the character Shippo from "Inuyasha". So when he proposed writing something inspired by the picture, this is what came to mind. It is not strictly set in the "Inuyasha" universe, simply inspired by it. And KillerUchiha. XD Thanks, man!

Having said that, enjoy!

* * *

><p>Sasuke grunted as his footing slipped. Carefully, he placed it in a crack of the cliff wall once more. Making sure it was secure, he used it to lever his body up, swinging a hand to a new crevice. He paused, making sure his staff was secure across his back, before continuing up the sheer cliff face. It took a few more minutes, but he finally reached the top. Heaving his body over the edge, he laid his face against the cool grass, panting. He considered his situation as he caught his breath.<p>

He'd been tracking the kitsune for the last two years, following tracks that led him in circles and across valleys, mountains, and oceans as was in keeping with the trickster's personality. Once, he'd been served tea at a rest stop by none other than the very fox demon he sought. When the fox, looking like a cute, young girl, had skipped away, giggling madly with a fluffy tail peeking from the edges of his yukata, Sasuke had been outraged and vowed, once again, that he wouldn't give up until he'd slain the demon.

It was his calling. Demon slaying, that is. This fox just happened to be more wily than most. What infuriated Sasuke the most was that, despite all the demons he'd hunted and fought, and ultimately killed, this one had outwitted him the longest. And he only had one tail. One _damn_ tail!

Breath returned to normal, the dark-haired boy stood, pulling his staff from the ties on his back in one fluid move. Looking to the ground before him, he saw the tell-tale footprints. Raising his head to follow their direction, he stilled. There before him, at the edge of the tree line, a pair of vibrant blue eyes sparkled as they stared at him. His whole body tensed as he prepared to spring forward, hoping against hope that he would be quicker than the kitsune this time around.

Even as his foot came down in front of his body, the fox boy moved. Forward. Confused, Sasuke brought his staff to bear, thinking that after all this time, he was being attacked. The fox was fast, though, and even as he brought his staff forward - to defend or attack, he wasn't sure - the blond kitsune darted up to him, hand pushing the weapon down and out of the way.

They paused there for a moment, seemingly frozen. This close, he could see the markings on the cheeks of the other. What he'd first mistaken for whisker-shaped scars were markings that looked more like tattoos. Were they natural? He looked at the mischievous blue eyes before him, and lost himself in their sparkling depths. The ocean had never been this blue.

Then the demon reached out his other hand, so slowly, bringing it up to Sasuke's face. Sasuke couldn't seem to move. He held his breath in anticipation. Of what, though? The boy before him didn't touch his skin, but instead ran fingers through the locks of dark hair that hung next to Sasuke's eyes. As the hair dropped, cool, back against his cheek, Sasuke shivered. His grip on his staff loosened, and the wooden weapon dropped to the ground between them with a soft thud.

He straightened his posture and the boy stepped right up in front of him. Carefully, as if _he_ was afraid of scaring away a wild animal, the kitsune reached his hand out again, tracing it over Sasuke's cheek and down his neck to his shoulder. His eyes followed the motion of his hand curiously.

"Fox..." Sasuke whispered.

"Naruto."

Startled, Sasuke opened eyes he hadn't realized he'd closed. "What?"

"My name isn't 'fox'. It's Naruto." The kitsune grinned, pearly whites bright in the afternoon light. "I think I like you."

Sasuke sputtered. "Wha- But... Ahh... You can't like me! I'm supposed to kill you!"

The fox - _Naruto_ - frowned. "Why?"

"Be- Because that's the way it is. You're a demon, and I'm a demon slayer. You represent everything evil in our world, and I represent the holy gods. I'm supposed to destroy you. It's my calling." He found it odd that he had to explain this to a demon.

"Why?" Naruto asked again.

"That's just the way it is!" Sasuke was frustrated. What did he mean, 'why'?

"But... I'm not evil!"

"I'm supposed to just believe you?"

"Then name one evil thing I've done!"

"You've- You..." Sasuke stopped, thinking back over the past two years. The fox boy had embarrassed him, infuriated him, and led him on one wild goose chase after another, but he'd never actually done anything _bad_. His annoyance grew. "I don't know, okay? But there must have been something! I haven't seen everything you've ever done."

"Yes."

"So you have?"

"No!"

"Then 'yes' what?"

"Yes. I like you."

Sasuke nearly growled in frustration.

"I'm _trying_ to _kill you!_ Don't you get that?"

Naruto smirked as his tail gave a lazy swing. "So?"

"So, I-"

He was abruptly cut off as Naruto leaned in a few inches and covered his mouth with his own, soft lips moving in a sweet, innocent kiss.

Sasuke stumbled back a few steps.

"You-!" He tried to find the words he wanted to holler at his enemy. "You can't kiss me!"

"Why?"

"Again with the 'why's!" Sasuke exploded. "Because you're a demon! Because you're my natural enemy! Because you're a _guy_!"

"Would this be better, then?" There was a small _poof!_ of air, and the fox boy became a human girl.

"Yes! I mean, no! I mean- Aargh!" Sasuke was close to pulling out all his hair. "Just... wait!"

Naruto turned back to himself with another _poof_. He plopped himself down to sit cross legged on the grass before the taller boy. Silently, he looked up at Sasuke expectantly.

For his part, Sasuke paced back and forth agitatedly. He was having a hard time trying to sort out his thoughts.

This boy, demon, whatever he was, wasn't like the other demons he'd met. He had this air of guilelessness that threw him. Demons were evil. It was part of who they were. It could be sensed in their auras. But with this one... His aura was like a spring breeze, soft and refreshing. How could that be?

His eyes were open, round, bright and honest. Sasuke felt himself getting lost in them again and shook his head violently, looking away and resuming his pacing.

And then there was that kiss! What was he thinking, kissing a killer of his own kind? Sasuke had had plenty of girls, and even a few boys, steal kisses from him before, but none had left him reeling like Naruto's. Maybe it was because he wasn't human?

As the blond fox watched the dark-eyed boy wear down the grass, he grew impatient. He tried to wait, really he did! But it was so boring! First his toes started twitching. Then his legs were fidgeting as his fingers tore grass into pieces. Before he knew it, he was on his feet, following an oblivious Sasuke step for step, imitating his movements. Suddenly, the demon slayer spun to continue his pacing in the other direction. It caught Naruto off guard, and they ran into each other.

With a gleam of mischief innate to kitsune everywhere, Naruto took extreme advantage of the situation and wrapped his arms around the other boy's neck to keep from falling. Then, with Sasuke off balance and right where he wanted him, he captured his lips once more.

All of Sasuke's convoluted, mangled thoughts flew right out of his head when Naruto's lips touched his. Tingling warmth rushed from their points of contact to spread across the entire surface of his being. He realized he didn't care about all of his questions anymore._ He wanted this._

Lifting his arms, he pulled the other boy closer to him. He ran a hand through the messy blond locks on Naruto's head, amazed at just how soft they were. His fingers trailed down over a pointed ear, and the kitsune purred deep in his throat, running his hands down Sasuke's arms and up his back, leaving trails of fire in their wake. Naruto nibbled a soft lip, accidentally breaking skin with his sharp teeth.

Sasuke gasped and pulled back, still wrapped in a tight embrace. He licked his lip, and the taste of blood flooded his mouth. Naruto's eyes were hooded as he watched the pink tongue dart out to carress the wound. Slowly, Sasuke leaned back in, pressing his bloodied lips back to Naruto's. The blond's tongue gently licked over the cut, tasting the blood, and as he did, Sasuke slipped his own tongue out to tangle with it.

Their eyes slid shut as the kitsune moaned a garbled version of Sasuke's name into his mouth, and as the sun slid lower in the summer sky, they lost themselves to the embrace. Demon, human... It didn't matter anymore. Each boy just _was._


End file.
